Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-01-07
rcoptinued from second page. !
recommend that by proper memorial it
brought to The attention of Congress.

event. The troops of Maine were nonoraoly
distinguished on that bloody field and the
memory of their heroic deeds should b.
honored with those If their compatriots.
recommend that the legislature take appro,
pirate action in the premises,-ss justly due
to the living and to the dead, and to tue
honor OF the State tor all time.
The question Of the prohibition Of tie
liquor traffic in Maine has engaged popular
attention within the last year 10 considera-
bic extent. The agitation has resulted IN a
re-affirmation on the part of the people, at
the polls, Of their full faith in the proEibitory
system, and Of their desire 20 see the law
fairly administered and properly enforced
The situation in the state respecting the Law
may be briefly and candidiy stated. In
from three-fourths TO four fifths of the towns
of the State the Law is well enforced and has
practically abolished the sale OF splrituous Al
malt liquors as a beverage. In the larger
cities and towns. on the seaboard and at rail
way centers, it has been found more difficult
to secure perfect compliance with the law,
but il can still be said that very few points
in the State is liquor openly sold. The of,
fences against the law are in large par,
clandestne, and therefore difficult to detect
and expose by legal testimony. Blu; 1t is a
great moral gain when the liquor seller is
driven from the light Of day to secret places
and to stealthy devices to carry on his hurt
ful and demoralzng traffic.
Some Of the more jealous friends OF the
temperance cause think that An Increase OF the
penalties, especially for the first offence of
iIauor selling, would cure the admitted evil
OF imperfect enforcement, but the more pru-
deat and think Y far larger number, are
0i the opinion that All increase of the penal
ty would do harm, Father than good. What
Is actually needed at the points named Il a
sound publlc opinion to urge and uphold the
enforce ment of the law. Where that is
wanting the case is made difficult with thu
prnhibuory law, as indeed it always is witt
every form Of Law. Perhaps an increase Of
penalty would, in the places referred 10, en-
nance. rather than diminish the evils OF indii-
ference and of hostility.
IL can. however, be said with satisfaction
that even with this imperfect enforce ment a.
certain points, the law has been of immeas-
urable value IN reducing the liquor traftic. and
has cOrrespnndlngly increased the wealth OF
the State by Increasing the sobrlety of thu
people and saving the fruits of industry
One evil, inseparable from law enacted al
ter a strong popular contest, ia thtt the pre-
vailing side is looked to as the one to enforce
its provisions, whereas every law should b.
as binding upon those who opposed It's enact
ment as upon those who labored for it. The
experience of Maine tor the last thirty year
abundantly juslifies the adoption of the pro-
hibitory system, and it will be the duty of the
legislature to add to its efficiency in whstever
way, after full and impartial Investigation
may be found practicable always remem
bring that legal penalties must be kept in.
l.. tka h., 40
public opinion.
For several years complaint has been mad
of the law in this State which, under certain
conditions. permits imprisonment for debt
In, re is something repulsive to our bette
feelings in this treatment; something, also
that contradicts common sense in such rem
.dy. II a man owes debt and has no prop
erty, and you deprive him OF the power o
working, how can he pay it? Moreover
society has no right to intlict An ignominious
punishment upon a man for the historian,
that deprives him of the power of meeting
pecuniary obligation. I therefore recon
mt nd thot every law and part of law whict
permits imprisonment for debt in Maine b.
repealed. In taking this step we are but fol
lowing the enlightened policies of the grea
majority of our sister States in the Union.
also recommend that trustee process, Sc
far as il relates to the wages of n labOrinl
man. be abolished. The undoubted result o
those steps will be to curtail the credit OF
laboring men, and to keep them from incur
ring obligations which readily absorb all then
earnings. 1t will force the relations between
empower and the employed TO cash basis
anu " i'll largely benefit the la5oring man bN
adding perceptibly to the value of his day
wages 1t will, think, be found that the
| saving resulting to the labor of the Stat,
from the cash basis will show itself in an ad
dition to the aggre gate deposits IN the saving
banks of the State Imprisonment for deb
aud trustee process both being removed, III,
laborer is made free nan, with no unlus
penalties menaci1g him and no one tempting
nm to incur needless debt.
There is reason to believe that abuses oc
cur in permitting children of too tender az
! TO work in our factories This should he pro
| hihited hv law. | recommend Il At children
shall not be admitted 10 work in factories be
fore the age of fifteen years. This will Civ
time fer strength and growth, and also 10
acquiring the rudimepts of good education
! In this matter, the parents who seek work f"
their children are as often TO blame As th
employers in factories, and the penalty sdopt
ed should be made to apply to whichever
the offending party. A special penalty shout
be attached to the offence of misrepresentn
the age of the child
| | recommend, further, that labor in all cor
porations in the State be absolutely restrictC
by aw to ten hours day, and thar dav'
labor outside of corporations shall always 10
lett, rs now defined 10y statute, at ten hours
If a DAYS labor be less or more than that,
must be by virtue of special contract he
tween the parties, and be regulated by III
hour The multiplication of machinery an
| the great addition ta the power of mauufsC
turing, ought naturally to he followed b
some ameiioratiou in the hours OF labor. Til
length of days work might be, even now
| further reduced, if the wants of the peopl
| did not multiply in equal ratio with the tacli
, tiles for gratifying them. II men with tn
earnings of today should live after the man
ner of forty or fifty years ago, a large surpu
would result from daily wages but as want
| multiply add ional means are required. |
| is, however, a satisfaction 10 believe that tn
| tendency il in the right direction. and tina
the average wages of workingmen through
| out the United States, reckoned in con an,
measured by their ability to purchase IN,
necessaries and Injuries of life. are large
than they have ever before been in any perio,
of our history. while at the same time tn,
average hours of labor are shorter.
A pleasant custom has grown up within tn,
last tew years in many of the States to have
an annual holiday, known as "Arbor Day
II is devoted wholly to the planting of tree.
useful, ornamental. and il many cases for
memorial purposes; aud under the proclsma
ton If The Eovernor appointing the day snd